Bridle-bit



No Model.)

G. s. PARSONS.

BRIDLE BIT. No. 477,779. Patented June 28, 1892.

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V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE SEXTON PARSONS, OF CHERRY FLATS, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRlDLE-BIT. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 477,779, dated. June 28, 1892.

Application filed March 11, 1891.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE SEXTON PAR- SONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cherry Flats, in the county of Tioga and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridle-Bits; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in bridle-bits, and has for its object especially to furnish a bit suitable for all ordinary purposes, and at the same time one particularly adapted for the purpose of con quering vicious horses. In order to carry out these purposes I have devised the construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my bit when used simply as a driving-bit in its normal position in the horses mouth. Fig. 2 represents a like view of the bit in its contracted position when being used for the purpose of curbing fractious animals, and Fig. 3 is a detail section better showing the relation of the links to the cheek-piece.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the views.

A A represent the cheek-pieces of the bit, preferably made in the skeleton form illustrated and of large diameter in order to insure the retention of the bit in the horses mouth.

B B represent the principal links of the bit portion proper, which links are joined at their opposite ends, respectively, with the auxiliary links 0 0, made of smaller cross-section than B B, for a purpose to be hereinafter explained, and to the center cross-bar D of the cheekpiece A. To the ends of these auxiliary links C may be linked the rings E E for attaching the reins, and spaces F F, G G, and H H are formed in the cheek-pieces A for attaching the checkrein and other parts of the bridle, and for certain purposes the reins themselves.

The parts of my invention being constructed and arranged as described, its method of operation is as follows: If I desire to utilize the bit as an ordinary driving-bit, I simply Serial No. 384,549. (No model.)

buckle the reins in the spaces H H of the cheek-pieces, and it operates similarly to any ordinary double-linked bit and is a bit easy on the horse; but if I desire to employ the bit for the purpose for which it is especially designed-namely, to curb an otherwise unmanageable animal-I turn the bit one-quarter of the way round and buckle the reins in the rings E E. In this condition the bit is a double-lever bit, and any tension on the reins tends to draw toward each other the cheekpieces A A until,if the tension is maintained, they finally assume the position represented in Fig. 2, though the horse is usually subdued before this extreme is reached.

The various forms of bit now in use I have found of little avail in managing horses that have the habit of setting their teeth on the bit, and thus frustrating the driver, and itis in order to supply this defect thatI purposely make the auxiliary links 0 C of considerably smaller diameter than the main links B B. The result of this construction is that even if the horse attempts to hold the links rigid with his teeth he is unable to do so from the fact that the smaller links 0 O can still be readily pulled through them in consequence of the leverage exerted by the reins at the outer extremity of the said links, and thus the cheek-pieces A A are inevitably forced together.

Runaway, balky, and kicking horses almost invariably grip the bit in their teeth, and unless the driver succeeds in jerking it loose he is at their mercy; but I have found in practice that my bit entirely removes this dilliculty.

My bit is also applicable to many other purposes. For instance, if I turn it half-way round from the position indicated in Fig. 2 and buckle the reins in the rings E E, so that the auxiliary lever-links bear against the center cross-barD D of the cheek-pieces, it forms a good drivingbit, capable of exerting a great strain on the horses month, if required, but not so violent as in the position represented in Fig. 2. For a side puller I buckle one rein in the space F of one cheek-piece and the other in the opposite ring E, and the habit is soon corrected. It also makes a good gag-bit in the position represented in Fig. 2

of the main links and having a sliding connection with the cheek-pieces at their outer ends, said main links being of larger diameter than said auxiliary links, substantially as described. l

2. In abridle-bit, the combination of cheekpieces and separate bits or mouth-pieces connected thereto, each bit-piece being formed of two links pivoted together at or near the center and one of the links of each bit being larger in diameter than the other, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE SEXTON PARSONS.

Witnesses:

F. M. HUFFER, HENRY C. Cox. 

